Blogroll

I’ve authored half of the upcoming book, Consulting Hell: A Memoir and intend to finish it in 2023, for release in early 2024.

The full eBook download of Adventures in Opposite Land is now available for download to Patreon supporters!

The full eBook download of The Corporate Life Survival Guide is now available for download to Patreon supporters!

Everyone wants to do well at work and be rewarded for it, but sometimes it all goes terribly wrong, whether it’s manager, coworkers, or clients turning our job into hell.

Like many companies, United Systems did annual performance reviews, where each supervisor writes a standardized, fill-in-the-blanks form about the work of each person they manage. Despite the spotty work they had given me since Hank became my manager two years earlier, these had gone well …

Everything was going fine until my first incident with someone about three months into the job. Aayush and I had to fill out paper timesheets every week, then fax them back to SmartTech, who we kept in contact with, usually through our account rep James; …

Bringing up a screen, I said, “This is the all-important master list of applications the Virginia and Pennsylvania teams have developed, and which we still care about because they’re still in use or will be. This is the central piece. Any time we’re tracking metrics …

“I want to see you in my office,” Rick snapped. I sensed I was about to be fired, but being spoken to like that did not agree with me and I did not soften any anger in my eyes as I rose and followed him. …

“Ted’s really upset with you,” said Gary, shuffling into the cramped, windowless office we’d shared for a week. “You need to call him now,” he added, settling into a creaking chair. “What’s he upset about?” I turned away from trying to fix some of Gary’s …

My next book, Corporate Hell: A Memoir, is now available!

The full eBook download of Corporate Hell:: A Memoir is now available for download to Patreon supporters!

My next book, Corporate Hell: A Memoir, is now available for pre-order! Release date is November 2, 2021.

The Corporate Life Survival Guide has been published! You can grab a copy at this link. The book is the culmination of two decades of experience in this setting as employee, contractor, and consultant. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I …

I have the cover for Consulting Hell: A Memoir! And no that’s not me on the cover. I’m not on any of them by design. This book features the second roughly ten years of my software development career, when I worked for myself, doing work for …

I have the cover for Corporate Hell: A Memoir! I like the look of this and almost used something similar for other memoirs, meaning the main figure and somewhat shadowy people around me. I almost went with a cover featuring the U.S. Capitol prominently, as much …

I somehow forgot to order the cover for A Silence Not So Golden when I had the three individual books done earlier this year, but this problem is resolved. I think I like it the best! It captures a metaphor about the 20-year period covered …

For those of you waiting for The Corporate Life Survival Guide, I just finished it this week! The book is scheduled for August 2, 2021 release. Covid-19 impacted the writing and release of this. I drafted it in 2019 and was set to finish and …

My latest memoir, Adventures in Opposite Land (The Memoir Shorts 1), had been published today in eBook, paperback, and hardback, all available via Amazon! I have a number of promos set up this week and the eBook is only $.99 cents when the regular price …

My divorce and custody fight memoir, A Storm of Lies, had been published today in eBook, paperback, and hardback, all available via Amazon! I have a number of promos set up this week and the eBook is only $.99 cents when the regular price is …

I have received he covers for both books in The Memoir Shorts set of books! The first book should be released in May, as I have completed the manuscripts, which is off at the editors. The blurb is also done for Adventures in Opposite Land.

The full eBook download of A Storm of Lies is now available for download to Patreon supporters!

A Storm of Lies has been scheduled for April 20, 2021 release! It’s a little daunting releasing such a personal story into the world, but I know the book will resonate with every parent who has faced these issues, and maybe with a few who …

In March, I should receive covers for both of The Memoir Shorts books – at the moment there are intended to be two of them. I’ll be posting them once they’re in!

I’ve received the covers for all three books in the memoir trilogy, A Silence Not So Golden. I hope to be finishing these up in the spring of 2021 and publishing by the fall at the latest.

A week later, a crying Dave woke me by climbing into my bed at 6:45 am. He’d slept with Sophia the night before, so I was confused as to why he was now here. Then again, he needed comfort, and she wasn’t much help. “What’s …

I had heard of women experiencing post-partum depression so severe that they killed themselves and sometimes their children, a thought that filled me with terror. Every weekday morning, before leaving Dave in her care as I went to work, I discreetly assessed her mood, trying …

“Not only am I not kissing you now, but I’m never kissing you again.” She said it mildly, even pleasantly. I stood very still, my breath trapped in my chest. I wasn’t ready to process my pregnant wife’s response to me wanting to kiss her. …

Our best game was the Monster Game. Every kid loves chicken nuggets, but Dave was picky and wouldn’t try the dinosaur-shaped ones. He ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs, which doubled back halfway up. He stood on the landing, peeking around the …

I quietly slipped out of the delivery room, desperate to get away from Sophia and Alexa. I gave way to the depression I’ve been trying to hide, finding somewhere out of the way to sit. An hour passed before nurses took me to see Anna. …

Every father should have the right to raise their children, but sometimes the mother doesn’t agree. In his riveting memoir, A Storm of Lies, Randy Zinn faces the daunting task of ensuring the truth of his relationship with his children comes to light.

I’ve received the cover for my divorce and custody memoir, A Storm of Lies: A Father’s Fight to Raise His Children. The cover designer did a good job representing my young son and daughter on the cover. The book should be released April 20, 2021. So …

My personal motto (well, one of several I have) is “Struggle. Overcome. Repeat.” I’ve now had a logo designed with “I Am Rand” on the bottom. The bird will hopefully remind you of the legendary phoenix or fire bird rising from its own ashes. I’ve …

Tip #1: “Less is More” Avoid making your work area a shrine to all things personal, with every last wall or desk space covered in paraphernalia. A few choice items just looks better than every last surface covered in something (italics) non-work related. It is …

Tip #3: “Responses Are Not Guaranteed” In life, regardless of who is initiating contact, a response is not guaranteed. Some will say we must respond to everyone, but this can be unrealistic in a hot job market when 20-30 people contact us every day for …

Tip #1: “Avoid Admitting What You Make” It’s not a future employer’s business what you’re making now or previously. What matters is that skillset, experience and market conditions have you seeking an appropriate amount. Leave that part of a job application blank. If asked, respond …

Randy Zinn is a proud father to a son (b. 2012) and daughter (b. 2016) and loves spending time with them when not writing memoirs, making music, playing golf, or lap swimming. Under another name, he’s published non-fiction and fantasy stories with a literary bent, …

Tip #6: “Beware the Illusion” There’s an old joke that the difference between employment and contracting or consulting is the illusion of job security. The former supposedly has it while the latter doesn’t. Well, employment doesn’t have it either. It just seems like it. We …

Part Three is all about how it ends, as all good things must. Whether it’s threats to our job, other opportunities, workplace tension, how to exit, or how to tell your employer, this crucial part covers them all!

Part Two is all about making the job work, from social outings, corporate events, celebrations big and small, dealing with the work environment, surviving the work day and week, mistakes to avoid, doing your actual job, and even finding out how to screw around without …

Part One is about the basics everyone should know: employment types, finding a job, interviews, getting hired, your first day, benefits, and the all important paycheck!

Tip #1: “Always Attend Onsite Events” Always attend any corporate event by your company, or the client if you’re there, taking place where you work. Skipping it looks anti-social and casts us in a bad light. You don’t have to stay for the whole thing, …

The corporate world can be full of surprises, not all of them pleasant. Some can be downright nefarious and cost you a gig and more. Why hope for the best, or that someone on the job will help you navigate this world, when you can …